Vanuatu's prime minister has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the Indonesian province of Papua.
Moana Carcasses Kalosil used his address to the Council's annual human rights review in Geneva to focus on what he described as "chronic human rights challenges" affecting the province's indigenous Melanesian people.
During his speech he outlined several alleged cases of torture and murder of Melanesian Papuans by Indonesia's military.
"Why are we not discussing it in this council?" Mr Carcasses asked.
"Why are we turning a blind eye to them, closing our ears to the voice of the Papuan people, many of whom have shed innocent blood because they want justice and freedom?"
Mr Carcasses called on the Human Rights Council to investigate the situation in Papua and pressure the Indonesian Government to open the province to scrutiny.
"Access must be allowed for human rights monitors, international journalists and international human rights NGO's to visit West Papua," he said.
The Vanuatu Government has been a vocal supporter of pro-independence groups in Papua.
It has supported the push by the Vanuatu-based West Papua National Coalition for Liberation to be given membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Last month Vanuatu boycotted a MSG foreign minister's mission to Indonesia because it believed the mission was not granted enough access to civil society groups, pro-independence groups and church leaders in Papua.